why is my download speed much slower than my internet speed?

[famousredhead829]

Before I download I check choose my server and test my speed. If I am getting a download speed of 1.5 or more I proceed to downloading a video. However, it takes 4 hours to download a video that is 40min long. During the download I again check my download speed from the same server and it is still the same as before I started.

I am desperate to find out why this is happening. Prior to Dec. I was able to download a 40min show in 30 min sometimes 20min with the same type of speed reading.

Can anyone enlighten me? Is it my computer? Is my ISP causing this on purpose? They claim they are not and I pay for unlimited download availability.

Please help....I'm going crazy with this!

[jegs]

Clear your cache.

[World Dominator M]

Downloading have 2 sides, with you in one end and the guy you are downloading from in the other. If he have a slow uploading speed, your downloading speed wont matter.

[Yann Sopheak]

The video has the same 40 min long, but not the same size. So, remaining time is different.

[Adrian]

Length of the show is irrelevant, it is the file size (resolution). You could have a 40 min show that is VCD quality which is small (<100MB), or a 20 min HD 1080p video that is in the gigabyte range...x

Same for two 40 min. shows, one could be 5 to 10 times bigger than the other, depending on resolution and how it is formatted.

[JimDandy]

Downloading has 3 components, and its not really that simple.

You can download at the lesser of three speeds:
1) Your maximum download speed
2) The upload speed of the website you're downloading from.
3) The maximum upload/download speed of all of the computers between you and where you're downloading from.

And then you have to deal with the number of people trying to download from a particular source at the same time. You might be able to download at 1.5Mbps, and the uploader might be able to upload at 1.5Mbps, but if 5 people are trying to download at the same time, then you're not going to get 1.5Mbps downloaded at a time.

Downloading doesn't happen directly from their computer to your computer. There are many computers in between the two of you -- usually less than 30, but sometimes more. Any interruptions in service or network congestion between you and the uploader, will slow your download speed.

My suggestion for you, is to choose another website to download from.